Former American Indian Movement leader John Trudell testified on Thursday in the trial of a man accused of murdering Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash.

Trudell said he and Aquash had a prearranged code to let him know if she was in trouble. The code was a silver ring that Aquash mailed to another friend shortly before her murder.

Two men, Arlo Looking Cloud and John Boy Graham, have been indicted for killing Aquash. A third person, Theda Clark, has been implicated but no charges have been revealed. Trudell said all were acting on orders from AIM leaders.

"John Boy, Arlo and Theda were not decision-makers," Trudell testified, according to The Denver Rocky Mountain News. "They did what they were told."

Also testifying was Denise Maloney, Aquash's daughter. She said Looking Cloud called her and her sister one day and told them of his involvement with the murder.

Candy Hamilton testified that she saw Aquash shortly before her murder. Looking Cloud, Graham and Clark had brought Aquash to South Dakota from Denver in December 1975. Hamilton said several AIM leaders and attorney Bruce Ellison, who has handled Leonard Peltier's case, met at the house where Aquash was brought.

Aquash's body was later found on the Pine Ridge Reservation in February 1976.

Before the prosecution rested, the jury was shown a videotape of Looking Cloud conducted by Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement director Bob Ecoffey. On the tape, Looking Cloud said he saw Aquash being shot in the head by Graham.

The defense called just one witness before resting. The jury will get the case today after closing arguments.

Get the Story:
Jury to get Looking Cloud case (The Rapid City Journal 2/6)
Ring of truth at AIM murder trial (The Denver Rocky Mountain News 2/6)
Aquash daughter testifies in murder trial (AP 2/6)
Accused describes seeing Nova Scotia woman shot in tape shown at U.S. trial (AP 2/6)

Relevant Links:
Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash Info - http://www.dickshovel.com/annalay.html

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